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When is Puka Nacua coming back? Will Puka Nacua play again this season? Read about Puka Nacua's return date and injury updates for 2026.
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (groin) was one of the most highly drafted wide receivers in fantasy football this offseason. After finishing as the overall WR1 in PPR fantasy football leagues in 2026, despite missing one game, he was seen as a must-draft first-round pick.
He hasn't seen the field since Week 1 due to injury, though. In his absence, Rams WR Davante Adams has been one of the best receivers in fantasy football, with a 39.5 PPR fantasy point performance in Week 2 and a 20.7 point outing the week after.
Nacua hasn't played a full 17-game season since his rookie year in 2023, and struggled mightily with injuries in college. Those caused him to fall a long way in the 2023 NFL Draft. Will he be able to overcome his ailment and play in Week 4?
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Puka Nacua Injury Update for Fantasy Football
Update - Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Nacua is expected to play in Week 4.
Nacua is dealing with a groin injury that he apparently picked up after Week 1.
Another theory is that he's dealing with a sports hernia, which is a tear or strain of a muscle or tendon in the lower abdomen or groin area. He's not on injured reserve, though, and the Rams have said they don't believe surgery will be needed, though it's still a possibility.
Some medical experts and NFL insiders seem to believe Nacua is headed for surgery, though. The Rams have obviously been keeping it under wraps. If you drafted Nacua, this is a worst-case scenario. This kind of messaging could also indicate he's likely to re-aggravate the injury if he returns to play.
If you're in leagues where they're still available, you should probably grab WR Konata Mumpfield and tight end Terrance Ferguson, two Rams pass-catchers who stand to benefit greatly in fantasy football if Nacua misses extended time.
There is a possibility he plays in Week 4, but his status remains very up in the air. Managers should pay close attention to his status in practice, as that will be very telling for his weekend availability.
Puka Nacua Fantasy Football Outlook
Nacua is one of the best fantasy football players in the NFL when he's healthy and on the field. Last year, even after Adams signed, Nacua maintained an elite target share, heavy involvement in the offense, and elite efficiency, which led to massive production.
But there's a strong chance he misses about half the upcoming season, meaning he's likely a league-losing fantasy draft pick. If he does get surgery, he may not be back to 100 percent in the first few games that he plays in, meaning he would still not be an elite starter.
Puka Nacua pregame in Denver. pic.twitter.com/vlSydqpseo
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) September 27, 2026
It's not looking good, to say the least. If he does return soon and without surgery, the chances of an injury-riddled campaign with multiple future games missed seems pretty high. In that case, you may be better off selling high before the wheels fall off.
While he remains out, Adams will hold borderline WR1 upside while Ferguson becomes a viable plug-and-play option, but he is currently in danger of missing time with an ankle sprain.
Who Should I Start Tool
Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to start...
Week 4 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players: Davante Adams, Terrance Ferguson, Tyler Higbee, Kyren Williams, Blake Corum. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 4.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player name. In the second box, search for the second player name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.
Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed that our 'Who Should I Start?' tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, stats, projections, strength of schedule, player news, and enhanced search results with data to compare with a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Each week, our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked. If someone is out for the week, they will not appear in the search results.
Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do is select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circle), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Week 4 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 4 (2026)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Week 4 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Start tool for Week 4 for Davante Adams, Terrance Ferguson, Tyler Higbee, Kyren Williams, Blake Corum:
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